A. Monadjem et Mr. Perrin, POPULATION-DYNAMICS OF LEMNISCOMYS ROSALIA (MURIDAE, RODENTIA) IN A SWAZILAND GRASSLAND - EFFECTS OF FOOD AND FIRE, South African journal of zoology, 32(4), 1997, pp. 129-135
The effects of food supplementation on a population of Lemniscomys ros
alia were studied experimentally in a grassland habitat in Swaziland.
Food was added bi-weekly to two 1-ha grids, while a single 1-ha grid s
erved as the control. Rodent traps were set monthly over a 12 month pe
riod. Food supplementation may have affected the density of L. rosalia
, but did not affect any other features of the population. Breeding co
mmenced in September and ended in April (males) and May (females). Rec
ruitment of juveniles occurred between January and March. Adult mean b
ody mass increased from-a low in winter (June/July) to a high in late
summer (February). The drop in mean body mass in autumn was due to the
disappearance of heavy adults and entry of the lighter subadults into
the population. Mean survival of L. rosalia was low; 81% of all captu
red individuals disappeared within four months. An unscheduled fire bu
rnt part of the study area and hence allowed an assessment of the effe
ct of fire on L. rosalia. The fire did not cause undue mortality of L.
rosalia, however, burnt areas were avoided for three months until gra
ss cover had sufficiently increased.